


Summer, Serpents, and Surf

by orphan_account



Series: Old Movie AUs [2]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: 50s, F/M, Friendship, Gen, I did, Riverdale, Romance, Summer, Surfing, california au, just go with it, the serpents are a surfing gang
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-26 00:43:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14390541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Betty Cooper discovers surfing and love the summer after her high school graduation.





	Summer, Serpents, and Surf

**Author's Note:**

> I just need to tell everyone, this story is set in the 50s. So, if it has vaguely sexist tones and religious tones, I’ve done it on purpose to keep with the times. They do not reflect my views as a 21st century woman.

**.**

**Chapter 1**

“You’ve just gotta come out with us tonight!” Midge Klump urged Elizabeth Cooper. “You’re 18-years-old and you’ve never even had a date!”

“Come on Midge, you know Betty despises man hunting!” Veronica Lodge interjected as she adjusted her chest in Betty’s full-length mirror. “She’d much prefer to stay home and read Anne of Green Gables. Besides, tonight _is_ a church night!”

“Come on guys!” Betty protested as she helped Veronica put her pearls on. “You know it’s not like that! Besides, I don’t understand why _you’re_ going out man hunting, Ronnie! Aren’t you head over heels for Archie?”

Veronica shrugged and put on red lipstick. “I am head over heels for Archie but he doesn’t notice _me_. He’s so attached to his surfboard!”

“So get a surfboard!” Midge suggested as she ran her fingers through her new haircut. “Maybe then he’ll notice.”

“Like you got that haircut to get Moose to notice _you_?” Cheryl Blossom asked, swiping Veronica’s red lipstick.

“Do you think he’ll like it?”

“It’s so. . . trendy,” Cheryl said carefully.

“It’s very chic!” Veronica soothed Midge as she spritzed on some _Chanel_ perfume. “Très Audrey Hepburn circa _Roman Holiday_!”

“You guys all look _swell_!” Betty told them.

“I do look pretty good,” Veronica agreed, looking at herself in her fitted black dress, she was the most sophisticated and alluring one in their group of girlfriends. _Man hunting_ came easy to her.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” Midge asked Betty quietly. “It’ll be less intimidating if you’re with us.”

“I told Polly I’d help lick stamps for wedding invitations tonight,” Betty replied.

“I’m so glad I am the sister of the groom!” Cheryl said cheerfully. “I don’t have to do any of the dirty work like lick envelopes!”

“You just have to wear that monstrosity that Polly picked out for the two of you to wear,” Veronica reminded her with a smirk. “Anyways, are you girls ready to get out of here? The boys should be at the drive-in by now!”

“Where’s everybody going?” Alice Cooper asked as Betty herded them down the stairs.

“To the Twilight, Mrs. Cooper!” Midge replied.

Alice frowned. “You don’t want to go with them, Elizabeth?”

“Not tonight! We’re going on a manhunt!” Veronica answered cheerfully, blowing Betty an air kiss as they all disappeared. “See you tomorrow, Betts!”

“What’s going on?” Hal Cooper asked as Midge closed the door behind them.

“Apparently that was a manhunt,” Alice said, shaking her head.

Hal looked at Betty. “You didn’t want to go?”

“Please dad! I have better things to do than go _man hunting_! Besides, they’re not really man hunting so much as going to flirt with all the boys from the gang. And I would hardly call any of them _men_!”

“That’s my girl!” Hal said as he patted her on the head affectionately. “Say, you should go on a date with FP’s son when he comes to town!”

Betty made a face and groaned. “Daddy, I told you I’m not interested in dating _Forsythe_!”

“Elizabeth, he’s coming to town soon and he’s a perfectly nice boy. I think the two of you would get along really well!” Hal insisted. “From what FP tells me the two of you seem to have a lot in common.”

Betty sighed. “Daddy!”

“What? You haven’t had a date. FP says that Forsythe has never been on a date before either.”

“So, that means it would be perfect if we could get together and practice. Right?”

“Hal!” Alice said in exasperation.

“What? Forsythe is a perfectly nice boy and the Jones is a perfectly respectable family!” Hal told Alice. “I don’t see why Betty wouldn’t want to go out with him.”

“Daddy, I’m too busy to date anyone right now! Besides, when it does happen, I just want to meet somebody and for it to happen naturally!”

“I met your mother through a blind date. Sometimes it helps to know the right people!” Hal insisted.

Betty frowned. “Did Mr. Jones trade his son for five of your best Cadillacs or something? You’re awfully eager to get me to go out with Forsythe.”

“I just want to see my little girl happy!” Hal answered. “I thought for sure with Polly getting married and all your friends pairing off that you were starting to feel left out.”

“I’m not!” Betty tried to assure him. “Daddy, I appreciate the offer but I don’t need you to find dates for me. I’m perfectly content, thank you very much! If you excuse me, I’m going to go make a snack before Polly and Jason get here.”

Hal turned to Alice and frowned. “You don’t think there’s something wrong with her, do you?”

“I think she’s just a late bloomer,” Alice assured him. “You should be thanking your lucky stars, Hal. Remember how boy crazy was when Polly was her age? Elizabeth’s a lot more level-headed. I’m sure she’ll find somebody she’s interested in sooner than later. But right now be thankful she’s actually interested in that college you’re going to put a lot of money down for in the fall.”

“But—”

“You know she’s shy,” Alice continued. “Maybe if you had Forsythe come her for family dinner instead of forcing her to go out on a date with him, she’d be a little more comfortable. I want to see her fall in love just as much as you do but we can’t force it. Let her do it the way she wants to. Chic and Polly did and it was _fine_.”

Hal sighed. “Alice—”

“Don’t worry about it anymore. She’ll catch up soon enough. They all do eventually.”

**.**

“Mom, I’m going to the beach with Veronica and Midge!” Betty said after church the next afternoon. “Is that okay?”

“Sure honey,” Alice replied. “Just be sure to come home in time to go the Blossom’s for supper.”

“I know,” Betty answered, giving her a kiss on the cheek before hurrying upstairs to change out of her dress and into a navy blue bathing suit.

She put some sunscreen on, slipped into a pair of sandals and went down to the kitchen to get some food for lunch since they were all skipping Sunday dinner. Veronica would complain she was hungry as soon as they had laid out their towels.

Betty got her picnic basket out and added a container of watermelon wedges, sandwiches, Cokes, leftover chocolate chip cookies, and a bag of potato chips. She made sure there was enough for Kevin, Moose, Reggie, and Archie since they always forgot to bring food of their own and were more than happy to mooch off the girls.

She was ready just in time for Veronica’s honk on the horn.

She bid her parents goodbye and hurried to meet her friends.

Veronica was boldly sitting in her front seat in nothing but her black bikini and red lipstick. Midge looked a lot more demure in a yellow cover up and white sunglasses. She jumped into the backseat when she saw Betty coming towards the car.

“Good afternoon, darling!” Veronica said.

“Hi Veronica! Hi Midge!” Betty replied. “You weren’t in church this morning, Ronnie!”

“She slept in because she was out all night with Archie,” Midge said, smirking.

Veronica threw Midge a look before lowering her sunglasses. “Shhh! I wanted to tell!”

“Wait. You and Archie stayed out all night?” Betty asked.

“It was tasteful!” Veronica hurried to reassure her. “We just talked all night and he played me a song on his guitar. He’s going to take me out on his surfboard this afternoon!”

Betty looked in the rearview mirror at Midge who shrugged and popped a bubble with her gum, rolling her eyes a little.

“What about you Midge?” Betty asked.

“Moose still doesn’t know she exists,” Veronica said sympathetically as she put her convertible into drive.

“He said _hi_ ,” Midge retorted.

“I brought chocolate chip cookies,” Betty told her. “Give them to him and tell him you made them.”

Midge lifted her sunglasses and looked at Betty, her cola-colored eyes widened. “Really?”

“Really! I’m not trying to impress anyone!” Betty assured her. “I don’t really need chocolate chip cookies anyways. I need to fit into my bridesmaid’s dress.”

“Oh, please.” Veronica scoffed. “You’re thinner than me!”

“Take the cookies! Maybe it’ll give Moose the push he needs to talk to you,” Betty said, ignoring Veronica’s comments.

“Careful Midge, he might like Betty’s cookies better than he likes you!” Veronica warned.

Midge sighed. “Maybe Veronica’s right.”

“Veronica doesn’t have a boyfriend either,” Betty reminded her. “It wouldn’t hurt to try.”

Veronica huffed. “Geez. Did you get all your information how to flirt from a Beverly Cleary novel?” she asked sarcastically. “I’ve had more boyfriends than the two of you, thank you very much!”

Betty, always the peacemaker, changed the subject to Polly and Jason’s upcoming wedding and Jason’s lost guest list. It had almost caused his mother to have a conniption when she had to make a trip from the Manor to bring her copy.

It was the perfect thing to lighten the tension.

**.**

The beach was mostly deserted when they got there, save for the surfing devotees who ignored Riverdale, California’s unwritten _“keep the Sabbath day holy”_ rule.

The girl’s found their favorite spot on the sand and settled in with a picnic blanket and magazines. Veronica immediately laid out in view of the guys who were playing volleyball while they waited for good waves to come in.

Veronica threw her head back and basked in the sun. “Glorious summer! Are they looking over here?”

“No,” Betty answered.

“You’d have to be as naked as a Playboy Bunny to get their attention!” Veronica said indignity.

“Veronica! It’s Sunday!” Midge gasped.

“Don’t be such a prude—!” Veronica shrieked as a foul volleyball skidded their way, spraying sand all over them.

Betty got to her feet and spiked the ball back in their direction. “Hey! Watch what you’re doing!” she yelled.

“Hey Princess! If we’re bothering you so much, go sit somewhere else!”

Midge took her sunglasses off and shielded her eyes with her hand, frowning. “Who is _he_? I’ve never seen him before.”

Veronica propped herself up on her elbows. “And it’s not like the boys to let somebody into their group that they don’t know.”

“Exclusivity It isn’t one of their most charming traits,” Betty pointed out as the ball came towards them again. “Hold on, I’ll be right back!”

She kicked off her sandals and stalked towards the boys.

 Archie Andrews looked at her sheepishly. “Sorry Betts. I guess we’re off our game today!”

“Forgive us?” Moose Mason added, smiling at her boyishly.

“Just be more careful!” Betty cautioned, as she turned to go, she almost collided with somebody she had never seen before.

“Careful there, Princess!” He said as he took a step backwards.

“The waves are coming in!” Reggie Mantel shouted before Betty could say anything. “The waves are coming in!”

“Who was that?” Midge asked as she came to stand next to Betty.

“I don’t know,” Betty answered. “Come on, let’s get the food ready. You know how the boys are after they’ve surfed a wave.”

**TBC. . .**

**.**

**Author's Note:**

> So, tell me what you think! I’ve had a rough time with writer’s block, so I apologize for the lag in updates for my other stories.
> 
> Until Next Time!


End file.
